From
Publishers WeeklyA collaborator with legendary primatologist Jane Goodall and the 2000 winner
of the Exemplar Award from the Animal Behavior Society, author and Colorado
University professor Bekoff (The Emotional Lives of Animals) lays out the
"unique responsibilities" of human beings, as "moral agents," to overcome
speciesism and recognize animals "as fellow sentient, emotional beings," with
all the attendant rights that implies. Taking examples from everyday life-from
rodeos and circuses to word-processors that replace "who" with "that" when
referring to animals-Bekoff illustrates the lengths to which humans go to
convince themselves animals don't think, feel, and suffer like we do. Concerning
a topic of growing popularity, Bekoff's arguments can be less than rigorous; an
"unwavering optimist and dreamer," he focuses more on anecdotes and emotions
("alienation from nature... kills our hearts") than practicalities or a concrete
agenda. Instead, Bekoff encourages readers to start simply, by being "mindful"
in their interactions with animals. Addressing a weighty issue with gentle but
insistent charm, Bekoff's manifesto will nudge skeptics in the direction of
enlightenment (assuming anyone but the choir is buying copies).

"The Animal Manifesto is Marc Bekoff's gentle challenge that we all go a little
further in extending the boundaries of our compassion toward nonhuman animals. I
found it hard to resist the call of a work so brimming with awe, insight, and
optimism concerning the creatures who share our world. You will too."
— Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States

"We need books like this. We need writers like Marc Bekoff to remind us of the
emotional lives of animals and of our mismanagement of the wild. We need to be
reminded that we share this world with other animals, that we do not own it,
that we do not even run it. We ignore all of this not only at our peril, but to
our great loss."
— Martha Grimes, bestselling author of Dakota and The Blue Last

"Marc Bekoff's brilliant and beautiful The Animal Manifesto is as important a
book on our commonalities with other species as Darwin's book on emotional
expression. It will lead you in a moving fashion to reconsider your own origins
and will guide you toward uplifting actions that will make for a healthier fate
of our human earth. It is essential reading.
— Dacher Keltner, author of Born To Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life
and professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley

"For more than thirty years, Marc Bekoff has occupied a unique niche in the
social movement to advance moral concern for animals, functioning as a fearless
scientist relentlessly pressing the scientific community to recognize the
reality of animal thought, feeling, and emotion; as a philosopher articulating
the grounds for an expanded moral vision of animals; and as a tireless advocate
for justice for all creatures. In The Animal Manifesto, he has distilled his
knowledge and efforts into a document that should inspire all of us to ‘expand
our compassion footprint' in thought and action. Bekoff is incapable of writing
a boring paragraph, and his text is peppered with unforgettable anecdotes as
well as fascinating scientific data. I strongly recommend this book."
— Bernard E. Rollin, bioethicist and professor of philosophy, animal sciences,
and biomedical sciences at Colorado State University

"Proof that animals are wistful, altruistic, tender, jealous, and
conversational. But are these interesting facts to use to enliven a cocktail
party, or do human obligations ensue when we realize that the intelligent life
forms we seek in space are all around us here on earth? Marc Bekoff's challenge
to humanity to relate to those on the plate — and in other places no sentient
being deserves to be — is riveting reading that may occupy your thoughts long
after the last page is turned and the lights are out."
— Ingrid E. Newkirk, founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

"Marc Bekoff at his best! He enhances our respect and understanding of animals
using the science of ethology and philosophical inquiry to explain their
behavior, and in the process awakens our compassionate concern for all creatures
great and small."
— Dr. Michael W. Fox, veterinarian, syndicated columnist, and author of Dog
Body, Dog Mind and Cat Body, Cat Mind

"As a humane educator, I am always searching for books about pressing global
issues that teach through critical thinking and inspire us to deeply embody our
values. Marc Bekoff has written a superb book, with a gentle voice, one that
will make each reader a better person and will go far to creating a more
compassionate world for animals. He offers us crucial knowledge about animals,
ignites our curiosity, and fosters our reverence, respect, and responsibility.
I've never read a more convincing and powerful call for compassion. You will be
changed by this book. It will be required reading for my students."
— Zoe Weil, president of the Institute for Humane Education and author of Most
Good, Least Harm; Above All, Be Kind; and The Power and Promise of Humane
Education

Product DescriptionIn this inspirational call to action, Marc Bekoff, the world's leading
expert on animal emotions, gently shows that improving our treatment of animals
is a matter of rethinking our many daily decisions and "expanding our compassion
footprint." He demonstrates that animals experience a rich range of emotions,
including empathy and compassion, and that they clearly know right from wrong.
Driven by moral imperatives and pressing environmental realities, Bekoff offers
six compelling reasons for changing the way we treat animals — whether they're
in factory farms, labs, circuses, or our vanishing wilderness. The result is a
well-researched, informative guide that will change animal and human lives for
the better.